


Cerberus

by rosamynal



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coincidences, Dogs, F/M, Fluff, Matchmaking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:34:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24028954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosamynal/pseuds/rosamynal
Summary: Hades is a successful architect, but there's something missing in his otherwise perfect life.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone, Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch & Hythlodaeus, Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch/Original Character(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33
Collections: May-U Fic Exchange 2020





	Cerberus

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AzureSummoner](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzureSummoner/gifts).



> I hope I did your idiots justice <3

Hades sighed into his mug of black coffee. The lean brunet sat comfortably at his dining table. Bony elbows were propped up on its surface as he stared out the window at the slowly brightening skyline. Orange light tinted the shock of white hair that swayed when he readjusted to lean back in his seat. Silence dominated his luxurious penthouse apartment despite the busy street below.

Someone had once joked that Amaurot never slept. According to his oldest friend,  _ he _ apparently didn’t either. He had been quick to correct Hythlodaeus; he did, in fact, sleep. It was penciled into his schedule from 11:00 pm to 5:00 am. Of course he rarely slept the entire time, which led to moments like the present. And it was during these early morning hours that Hades truly realized how  _ painful _ stillness could be. 

The man had worked hard throughout his university years and those that immediately followed. He graduated at the top of his architectural program, which gave him his pick of the city’s architectural firms. Interning at the most prestigious firm for two years he built up his portfolio and garnered requisite experience until he managed to open his  _ own _ firm with Hythlodaeus as his assistant. 

Six years later and the 32-year-old could boast the title of “most sought after architect in Amaurot”. The city itself was a common client with a growing list of civil buildings the mayor had asked him to redesign. From his apartment window, he could easily see three structures he had recently overhauled without needing to crane his neck. 

And yet… there was something  _ missing _ .

He wanted for nothing. His every need was met. He wore the finest suits, shoes, and watches. He had designed and decorated his own penthouse for his 30th birthday. He drove a luxury convertible he had set his sights on back in his college days. He had no complaints. He should be happy and content.

And yet…

Eyes the color of pale gold swept from his window to the interior of his home. His crimson silk robe whispered against his skin as he turned in his seat to study the first floor of his penthouse. Another sigh escaped him. Despite his presence within it, his home felt…  _ empty _ . Of course it wasn’t--by definition--but as Hythlodaeus would say, it “lacked a soul”. Hades often argued that dwellings never possessed souls since they were unliving constructs, but in the hours before sunrise when he sat and waited for the light to creep into his apartment, Hades had to admit his home lacked an element of  _ life _ .

“Don’t tell me the  _ great Hades _ is getting lonely,” Hythlodaeus teased, bringing a glass of wine to his lips. 

The great man in question glared coolly down the sofa at his oldest friend--and current assistant. The long-haired man’s violet eyes glimmered in amusement despite the withering stare.

It was two weeks after Hades’ morning revelation. The pair were sitting in his living room enjoying a bottle of wine. The soft notes of a jazz piano lilted through the air from the wireless speaker on the coffee table. It had been a few weeks since he had last invited the other man over for some drinks. Now Hades recalled the reason.

“Am I not allowed to be lonely, Hyth?” Hades countered. “We don’t all have the luxury of being well-connected extroverts with parties to attend every other day.”

“Mainly on weekends, actually. And I don’t think I’ve ever heard you complain about my extroverted tendencies whenever we need someone to represent the firm at a gala or charity event. But if you’ve finally come around to admitting your sincerely sad existence, then you know I’m more than willing to help. I have friends all over the city; just say the word and I’ll see if they know anyone who’s looking for a partner.”

Hades’ eyes widened at the offer before his face contorted into a scowl. 

“I don’t need a partner,” he spat and took a sip of the tart, red wine. “Couldn’t I start with something smaller to keep me company?”

“I don’t honestly fancy the idea of you coming home to talk to a plant. I’m also not sure if a fish is a good fit for you,” Hythlodaeus confessed, dropping all pretense for a sincerely concerned look. “If you’re serious about this, then why not look into rescuing a pet?”

He considered the suggestion, swirling another sip of wine in his mouth. Within moments, the man had swept the penthouse with his mind’s eye and allocated space for a four-legged roommate. A slow nod confirmed his choice.

“I suppose I could look into getting a cat.”

“A  _ cat _ ?” Hythlodaeus snorted with laughter, holding his wine glass aloft to keep from upsetting its contents onto Hades’ white sofa. “You can barely stand Raff on the rare occasion you cross town to visit  _ me _ . What makes you think you’ll want a cat 24/7?”

“Because as often as you insist your demonic little gremlin’s name is short for ‘Raphael’, I’m still inclined to believe it’s actually ‘Riff-Raff’.”

“And that’s why he doesn’t like you.”

“He buried his claws into my  _ thigh _ .”

“He was  _ kneading _ you. He wanted to get comfortable.”

“Do you have any idea how much those pants cost?!”

“More to my point!” Hythlodaeus declared with a victorious grin. “You just wouldn’t get along with a cat; you view them as too destructive. I think a dog will be better for you. It would also get you out of this apartment more often,” the other man added under his breath.

“ _ Now _ what are you implying? I get out enough.”

Hythlodaeus raised a skeptical white eyebrow at the statement. He reclined against the back of the sofa, crossing one long leg over the other as he fixed Hades with his amethyst stare.

“Do you now? How often do you leave to go somewhere other than the office?”

“I go to the market--”

“You go once a week; first thing on Saturday mornings when everyone is either trying to sleep in or turning on cartoons for their children. All so you can  _ avoid _ interacting with other people.”

Hades pensively tapped the side of his wine glass. 

“Sometimes I have to go on Sundays,” he muttered.

A smirk picked its way across his old friend’s face. Hades crossed his arms, propping his elbow on the back of a fist to bring the wine up to his lips. His eyes darted to the side to avoid Hythlodaeus’ smug expression. A warm chuckle drifted towards him from the other man.

“We can go to the shelter first thing in the morning,” Hythlodaeus suggested. “We’ll find you a cute little thing. Can’t be too big or it may knock over one of your valuables. Can’t be too small or it could get lost or stepped on.”

This time, Hades raised one of his dark eyebrows. He studied the man at the other end of the sofa with narrowed eyes and a suspicious twist of his lips.

“You’re going to come along?”

“Of course! What sort of assistant would I be if I didn’t?”

The other man’s disarming smile said there was more to it; however a head-to-toe sweep revealed nothing. Still, there was something in Hythlodaeus’ eyes that made Hades suspicious of his friend’s offer.

“You’re trying to get out of working tomorrow.”

Hythlodaeus scoffed and took a sip of wine before responding. 

“As if helping you pick a dog is going to be a walk in the park. No, my dear friend, I am going with you because getting an animal from a shelter requires paperwork, a background check, and sometimes a waiting list. If you had to do all of that yourself, then you would immediately abandon the effort, turn around, and walk out. No, best we do it my way. I know the owner of the shelter in the city center. We’ll go there in the morning and bypass most of those requirements. You’ll likely only have to pay an adoption fee.”

Hades tried to see the flaw in Hythlodaeus’ logic; he came up empty-handed despite wanting to protest his characterisation. Instead, he allowed himself a sincere smile--nothing more than a faint upwards turn of his lips--and thanked his old friend.

Bright and early the following morning, Hythlodaeus met Hades at his apartment. The latter drove to the shelter following the former’s directions (which included a stop at a coffee shop that Hythlodaeus  _ insisted _ was a pivotal step in the directions). They had barely parked at the shelter when a woman rushed out to greet Hythlodaeus with an embrace. The tall man beamed at her, exchanged a few pleasantries, and introduced Hades. She led the pair towards a building out of which spilled a cacophony of barks that only grew louder and more fervent as they approached. 

Hades spared a glance at Hythlodaeus walking beside him, hoping the long-haired man would take pity and instead ask the woman to bring a few dogs out to them. His friend pointedly met his golden gaze, brought up his half-empty cup of iced coffee, and loudly rattled the plastic container before slurping some of the liquid. The glance melted into a molten glare. Hythlodaeus’ cheeky smirk only shone brighter for it. 

They entered the kennels to find the nearest dogs already waiting at the wire fences. The woman invited them to wander the aisles and see if any animal in particular caught Hades’ eye. In one motion, Hythlodaeus thanked her, clapped his hand on his friend’s shoulder, and forcibly guided him to one side of the room. 

The pair wove their way through the kennel, aisle by aisle. Hythlodaeus politely acknowledged the larger dogs with careful one-finger pats through the wire cages and let the smallest dogs yap and sniff his palm before continuing. Not bothering to spend time with every single animal, Hades strolled through the kennels. He mentally made notes regarding the sizes and apparent temperaments of each dog. One that was too energetic would not do, but neither would one who would ignore him when he returned home in the evenings.

By the time he reached the end, Hades was still undecided. He turned around to walk the circuit of kennels again and revise his mental notes, but only made it a few steps. A door swung outwards; a soft gasp and it stopped just short of hitting Hades. A woman with long, messy brown hair poked her head around the edge of the door. She grimaced apologetically before slipping through the small gap she had created. A small dog with curly black fur followed, staying close to her heels.

“Sorry about that,” said the brunette. “We don’t usually have visitors this early.”

“Perfectly alright,” replied Hades, studying her for a moment before looking down at the dog curiously sniffing the toes of his black shoes.

Another gasp--this time of surprise--left the woman’s lips. She dipped down to scoop the dog into her arms. A second apology slipped past her as she stroked the dog’s fur; its black eyes focused on Hades while its tail tentatively swayed between the woman’s elbow and torso.

“Sorry about  _ him _ , too. He’s usually a bit more shy than that.”

“Is that so?”

“Seph!”

The woman perked up at the name and turned towards Hythlodaeus who slowly approached them with a bright smile. She beamed back, waving her free hand at him.

“Hyth! How’re you doing?”

“Well! Fancy seeing you here today!” he observed as he stopped beside Hades. “I didn’t think you volunteered during the week.”

“Normally I don’t. I got a call early this morning that one of the other volunteers was sick so they asked me to come in to cover the morning shift. I figured since I didn't have any pressing projects for the morning, my office could stay closed for half a day. I stopped by and put up a sign saying I’d be in this afternoon.”

“Is that so?” Hythlodaeus responded, eyebrows lifting in what anyone other than Hades would call concern. “What a shame. I do hope it isn’t anything serious.”

“Didn’t sound like it was. What are you doing here? I didn’t think you’d be interested in a dog since you already have Raff.”

“Ah! No, I’m here to help my friend find a dog,” he explained.

When he turned to smile at Hades, the brunet glared knowingly at his old friend. Hythlodaeus ignored the other’s piercing eyes as he patted Hades’ back..

“This is Hades, one of my oldest friends. Hades, this is Persephone. Seph, we were talking last night and Hades decided he’s had enough of living alone, so now he’s looking for a companion.”

“A pet,” Hades explained. “A dog, specifically.”

“One neither too large, nor too small. It can’t be  _ too _ active; he lives in a penthouse, you see, but it shouldn’t be too lazy either. Nor can it make much noise since it can be bothersome.”

She gasped, bright blue eyes widening at the happy news. A moment later, her eyebrows fell as she seemed to contemplate the conundrum. The small dog in her arms yipped softly once for attention. When her eyes dropped to look at it, she perked right back up.

“What about Cerberus?”

“What?” Hades asked. “Who?”

Persephone slipped her hands under the dog’s forelegs and held it out to the men. The dog’s eyes remained focused on Hades while Hythlodaeus leaned in to peer at it.

“This is Cerberus. He’s a poodle; we  _ think _ he might be miniature. He just arrived at the shelter last night. I was about to put him in one of the kennels.”

Hythlodaeus tilted his head and hummed thoughtfully. Hades, on the other hand, had a question.

“Why is he named Cerberus?”

The woman beamed at the question and brought the dog back to rest against her chest. Hades found himself wanting to smile back at her.

“Because he’s too smart by three,” she explained. “Apparently he kept escaping his cage to scratch and wait by the door to the back room. That’s partly why they want to put him up here; it’s harder for the dogs to slip out of these. And he’s pretty quiet, too! I guess he can make all the noise another dog could make, but he just makes these soft little sounds instead. The best part is, he seems housetrained so you won’t have to worry about that.”

Hades considered Persephone’s words. Even he had to admit the small dog was cute; it almost didn’t seem real with its tightly curled fur and black eyes. It reminded him more of a stuffed animal than a pet. He slowly held up a hand for the dog to sniff. It curiously leaned away from Persephone’s chest, craning its neck to twitch its little black nose towards Hades’ digits. Once more, its tail wagged happily.

“How old is he?” Hythlodaeus suddenly chimed in, startling Hades into remembering he was there.

“Just a few months; he’s still a puppy.”

“A puppy?” Hades echoed. “So he’ll get bigger?”

“A little bit, but not much.”

He added the new information to his growing pile and checked it against the notes he had made of the other dogs in the shelter. After a moment’s worth of thought, he nodded.

“What would I have to do to adopt him?”

“A-ah, about that!” Hythlodaeus interjected before Persephone could respond. “Seph, Tillie told us she’d streamline the adoption as a favor to me. Would you mind getting her for us?”

Persephone smiled at the news. This time, Hades couldn’t help but smile back at her. The action caught her attention, making the woman’s bright blue gaze lock with his. The curiosity swimming in the depths of her eyes piqued his interest and he found himself wanting to learn more about the brunette. As if reading his mind, a pink blush sprouted across Persephone’s cheeks.

“Let me find Tillie,” she told Hades. “She was in the back just a moment ago.”

“Take your time,” he assured her.

She quietly excused herself once more and vanished through the door. A soft chuckle and a nudge to his shoulder brought Hades back to his senses. He stopped staring at the closed door to scowl at his white-haired friend. Before he could question him, Hythlodaeus posed his own query.

“What do you think of her?”

“What do you mean ‘what do I think of her’? I thought I was adopting the dog, not the woman.”

Hythlodaeus’ smile held a moment longer before deflating with a sigh. He crossed his arms and tapped the bottom of the empty, plastic cup against his side. The ice rattling within only seemed to highlight his annoyance all the more.

“Do you make a point not to read any of my memos? That’s  _ Persephone _ , the owner of Spring Designs? She’s the interior designer I mentioned we should try to work with. Her portfolio shows promise.”

Hades’ dark eyebrows shot up his forehead. His head snapped to stare at the closed door before jerking back to stare at Hythlodaeus.

“She’s  _ that _ Persephone?!” he hissed. 

“Why are you so surprised? Her name isn’t that common,” Hythlodaeus observed. A pale eyebrow suddenly quirked over one of the man’s violet eyes. His lips spread out in a slow smile. “Wait a second… Don’t tell me you--”

“No! Don’t be ridiculous; I don’t even know her.”

“Then what’s with that reaction?” 

“ _ What _ reaction? I’m not reacting.”

“Oh you’re reacting,” Hythlodaeus laughed. “I’d even say you’re  _ over- _ reacting in your own way. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this worked up.”

“I am  _ not _ worked up,” Hades insisted, keeping his voice even and firm.

“Alright, alright. Fine. So I can remind her of the offer?” Hythlodaeus hummed with a catlike smile.

A beat of three seconds passed wherein Hades blinked and stared at his friend, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“ _ What _ offer?”

Hythlodaeus’ shoulders slumped with a sigh and he shook his head. His ponytail gently swayed with the motion.

“You really  _ don’t _ listen to me, do you? The offer to work with us.  _ Surely  _ since you are neither reacting nor worked up, you won’t object to her working on a project or two with us to see if we’re compatible. If so, then we extend an invitation to merge our offices and have her name appear next to yours. Ah, on the  _ sign _ , that is. The one outside the office.”

Before Hades could say anything, the door opened once more. He reflexively took a step away from it as Persephone and the woman from before joined them. The latter exchanged a few words with Hythlodaeus while he filled out some paperwork. Persephone watched them, still holding the black poodle puppy. Hades studied the brunette while she idly stroked Cerberus’ fur. 

Inviting her to collaborate with his firm  _ would _ give him a chance to get better acquainted with her. And it wouldn’t be as if he were her employer or anything--they would be  _ equals _ . Her name alongside his on each bit of stationary and business card. As much as he wanted to deny it, he wanted nothing more than to see the quality of her work and her style. With a company named “Spring Designs”, he expected a more natural look--something vibrantly  _ alive _ . Something he  _ wanted _ .

He cleared his throat to steal her attention away from the other two. She turned with a polite smile and watched him expectantly.

“I understand that you’re at your volunteer position for the moment and not your office, but Hyth reminded me that you have yet to respond to our offer.”

“ _ Our _ offer?” she echoed. Persephone suddenly gasped and clutched Cerberus to her chest. “You’re  _ Hades _ ! The architect!”

“I am,” he confirmed with a wry smirk. At least he hadn’t been the only one not to make the connection. “You don’t have to make a decision now. We can meet tomorrow morning at my office; bring your portfolio.”

Her eyes sparkled like sapphires at the invitation. She agreed with a fervent nod while Hythlodaeus joined them. The white-haired man gave Hades a folded paper and a knowing smile.

“Well, congratulations Hades. You’re the proud new owner of one adorable little poodle pup. We should go back so you can get him settled into your home.”

Hades nodded before holding his hands out for said dog. Persephone handed Cerberus over after giving the puppy one final kiss between the ears.

“And we’ll see you tomorrow morning, Persephone.”

“Yes, Hades, but please call me ‘Seph’.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow morning,  _ Seph _ ,” he corrected with a smirk. “Tell me, are there any pastries you like in particular? We can have them ready for you to eat while we discuss business.”

A faint blush returned to her cheeks, contrasting wonderfully with the blue of her eyes. She stammered that there was no need and anything would do, honestly. With a polite nod, Hades and Hythlodaeus said their goodbyes and walked back to the former's car.

"She has a horrible sweet tooth," Hythlodaeus whispered. "I could pick up a dozen of those fruit turnovers from the corner bakery."

"If you don't mind," Hades replied as they got in the car. Cerberus clambered over the console to sit in Hythlodaeus' lap. He glanced at his friend out of the corner of his eye. "You planned this somehow, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you mean," Hythlodaeus replied innocently, scratching behind Cerberus' ear. "How could I possibly know that Eris would call in sick today and recommend to Tillie that Seph cover for her?"

Hades held his gaze for a moment before shifting the car into reverse. An excited smirk twisted and wormed its way across the brunet's face as they drove away from the shelter.

"Thank you, Hyth."

"Think nothing of it, my old friend."


End file.
